Indian women fight a battle every day during the summers. Na na, battle of the bulge nahi re! That lasts the whole year round. What bothers us all during the summers is beating the heat and managing to look and feel good. After 10 minutes in the sweltering heat, your make-up is reduced to a running mass of colored sweat. The hair is all frizzy and you seem to have a constant headache. Thats what a few minutes in the afternoon sun can do to you.
So here are a few ways to cool down and look good in spite of the sun.
1. As far as possible, stick with the no make-up look. Keep your make-up to a bare minimum, especially during the daytime. Use a foundation only if you have blemishes, as foundation tends to get all smudged up and runny with the sweat. When using a foundation, use water based foundation and dilute it with a drop or two of water to get a lighter tone.
2. When using a concealer, always use it before the foundation. Dab the foundation with a damp sponge to absorb the excess without rubbing off the concealer.
3. Choose icy colors in lipstick and lip-gloss to look cool during the day time. Pinks and mauves are your best bet for the summery days. For the nights, you need more drama, so go for bolder colors. Artificial lighting tends to rob color from your make-up. So choose darker shades for the nights.
4. Wash your face with a mild soap or face-wash, twice a day. Apart from that, wash your face with water as many times as you can throughout the day. If washing is not an option, clean up with wet tissues, but get rid of the sweaty look, gal.
5. For once, become the fish that cannot live without water. Water is your key to good health, good looks and feeling good. Drink as much as you can. You are thirsty, eh? Dont grab that inviting cola dearie. Drink a glass of chilled water.
6. Avoid direct sun exposure between 10 am and 3 pm as far as possible.
7. Always wear a sunscreen with SPF 20 or higher as a part of your daily morning routine. Even if you are a stay-at-home person, sunscreen is important.
8. When you do decide to brave the sun, get some sun shielders to protect you. No sense in showing the world how brave you are, when you are actually frightened of how you will look when you get back home! So grab those sun-glasses (big ones for maximum coverage), hats and umbrellas. Hey! Some of these sun shielders can make you look real classy.
9. Try to wash your hair regularly and condition it at least twice a week. Avoid blow-drying you hair as the heat damages the shafts. Try to cover your hair with a scarf or hat when going out in the sun. For more hair care tips and frizz-fighting tips, wait for our next article on hair care.
We hope these tips will be useful in going through the summers with minimum damage to your skin, hair and egos. So go ahead and enjoy all the attention that short and skimpy dresses being you in the summers. Show off those lovely arms and legs while you can. Come winters, and youll be all covered from head to toe once again. So enjoy the summers while they last.
